


Promise.

by orphan_account



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-14
Updated: 2012-09-14
Packaged: 2017-11-14 05:46:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/511969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>you are my center when i spin away - radiohead</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise.

Tony plays with Bruce’s curls as he sits behind him in the bathtub. Bruce fell asleep a while ago, and the water’s getting cold, but Tony doesn’t dare move and wake him up. He never looks peaceful when he sleeps, like logic suggests he should. He shivers, his lips twitch into a frown, and Tony kisses the side of his neck when he whimpers quietly. Bruce blinks blearily and gives Tony a weak smile before his head falls onto Tony’s chest and he slips out of consciousness again. Tony’s arm is getting numb.

He still can’t believe how much Hulking out takes out of Bruce. He crumples like all the bones in his body don’t work for a week afterward, and Tony can’t do much but be there. He kisses the top of Bruce’s head and watches the corners of Bruce’s mouth turn up. A pang sets in his heart, and Tony makes JARVIS put on a mindless movie so Bruce isn’t the only thing in the room he can watch.

“Promise you won’t leave,” Tony says to the sleeping Bruce, and of course he doesn’t respond. Tony still can’t decide if he wants Bruce to respond, or if it’s too hypocritical of him to make that type of demand. He decides it is, and flips the channel to something that’s not Turner Classic Movies. A documentary about the science of the end of the world comes on, and Tony gets a heavy dose of déjà vu even though he knows he’s never seen this before. Flip. He supposes he can live with Housewives of New York for now, and the mindless bickering puts him right back to sleep.

When he wakes up he’s alone, and the water is even colder without the heat of Bruce’s body, and his toes and the fingers that slipped into the water at some point are completely shriveled up. He scrambles up, water falling off of him in curtains, and doesn’t even grab a towel before he clumsily sprints into the bedroom. Bruce is asleep there, sprawled out comfortably, damp hair making a spot on the pillow, and Tony sighs and knows it shouldn’t be as much relief as it is. He slides into the bed and nudges Bruce over, and Bruce wraps his arms around him like his only purpose is being a body pillow.

“Promise,” Bruce says, and Tony’s heart stops for a second before he sees Bruce’s eyes rolling behind his eyelids. He wonders who Bruce is promising to in his dreams, and pats down Bruce’s wild hair to make himself sleepy again.


End file.
